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Contents 

1  Memorial  showing;  the  wants  of  the  University.  Nov 

1875. 

2  Same .  1875-1876. 

3  Same*  1877-78. 

3a  Report  of  the  Regents  to  the  Constitutional  conven 


4  Report  of  Commission  to  examine  into  and  report  on 

condition  of  certain  funds,  etc.  in  relation  to 
State  university,  1879. 

5  Memorial  of  the  Regents  on  the  wants  of  the  Unive 

Dec.  31,  1880. 

6  .game.  Feb.  3,  1880. 

7  Memorial  to  Congress  (regarding  investment  of  mone 

derived  from  sale  of  lands  donated  by  Congress) 
28,  1882. 

8  Report  of  Law  committee"  of  the  Regents  on  the  act 

Congress  of  July  2,  1862. 


9  University  of  California  rneedss  Jan.l,  1885. 

10  Senate  bill  No.  49.  Jan  18.  1887.  An  act  to  provid 

for  the  permanent  support  of  tve  University. 

11  Reasons  for  supporting  bill  to  provide  for  the  per 

manent  support  Of  the  University.  Jan.  1887, 

12  Communication  regarding  funds  for  Experiment  stati 

Dec.  6,  1887. 

13  Report  of  the  specie!  committee  on  the  Morrill  col 

aid  act.  Mar.  1891. 
• 

14  Appeal  to  the  Alumni  of  the  UniverBity  by  a  Commit 

on  legislation  ap-ointed  by  the  Regents  to  arous 
interest  in  securing  funds  for  the  University.  S 
25,  1894. 

15-  Legislative  bills.  Jan.  1887,  for  appropriation  of 

17  |250,000  for  buildings. 

18  Report  of  Committee  on  ways  and  means.  May  20,  189 

19  Report  on  establishment  of  fee  for  incidentals.  c  18 


REPORT 


OP   THE 


Board  of  Regents,  State  University, 


CONSTITUTIONAL  CONVENTION. 


it 


UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA,  ) 

BERKELEY,  November  23d,  1878.  j 

To  the  Honorable  President  and  Members  of  the  Constitutional  Convention: 

GENTLEMEN  :  In  response  to  your  resolution  of  date  October  thirty- 
first,  eighteen  hundred  and  seventy-eight,  the  following  statements 
are  herewith  respectfully  submitted,  arranged  in  the  following  order  : 

First — Statement  of  cash  receipts  from  all  sources,  from  August 
eighth,  eighteen  hundred  and  sixty-eight,  to  June  thirtieth,  eighteen 
hundred  and  seventy-eight,  both  inclusive. 

Second — Statement  of  cash  disbursements  and  investments  for  the 
same  period. 

Third — Appendix  "A"  and  "  B,"  giving  the  proper  segregations  of 
cash  receipts  and  disbursements^ 

Fourth — Statements  of  accoun'ts  with  savings  banks,  and  certain 
donations. 


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APPENDIX  "A." 


SEGREGATION    OF    CASH    RECEIPTS. 

ENDOWMENTS — (FROM   CONGRESSIONAL   GRANTS.) 

Land  Fund— From  sales  of  land,  grant  150,000  acres $356,273  03 

Seminary  Land  Fund — From  sales  under  grant  of  seventy-two 

sections 19,505  99 

Forfeited  Seminary  Land  Fund — From  sales  of  forfeited  lands  re- 
sold by  the  Regents  of  the  University 480  00 

Total  cash  receipts  from  Congressional  endowments $376,259  02 

INCOME — (PROM    CONGRESSIONAL   ENDOWMENTS.) 

Land  Fund  Interest — From  interest  received  on  deferred  pay- 
ments of  principal,  grant  of  150,000  acres $182,776  82 

Land  Fund  Fees — From  fees  on  applications,  certificates  of  de- 
posit, and  patents 9,252  50 

Interest  on  excess  payments 3,372  46 

Seminarv  Land  Fund  Interest — (On  bonds) 1,111  50 

Seminary  Land  Fund  Interest — On  deferred  payments,  Control- 
ler's warrants 698  48 

Forfeited  Seminary  Land  Interest 546  82 

Forfeited  Seminary  Land  Fund  Fees 16  00 

Special  Investment  Fund  Interest — From  investment  of  excess 

payments  in  bonds 1,042  00 

Interest  on  Certificates  of  Deposit — From  interest  on  preliminary 
deposits  of  one  dollar  per  acre,  made  by  applicants  for  lands 
under  the  grant  of  150,000  acres.  Said  deposits  held  by  the 
Land  Department  of  the  University,  awaiting  action  by  the 
United  States  Land  Ofiices 14,599  56 

United  States  Endowment  Interest — From  interest  on  bonds  pur- 
chased from  proceeds  of  sales  of  land  belonging  to  the  grant  of 
150,000  acres 35,609  03 

Seminary  and  Public  Building  Land  Fund  Interest — From  inter- 
est on 'deferred  payments  of  principal,  Controller's  warrants 27,217  00 

276,242  17 


Total  cash  receipts  from  Congressional  endowments  and  income  therefrdm $652,501  17 

TRUST    FUNDS. 

Excess  Payments — From  collections  of  $1  25  per  acre  on  double 

minimum  lands $61,974  84 

State  Geological  Survey,  collections  on  account  of 4,417  85 

Total  cash  receipts  from  Trust  Fund 66,392  69 

College  of  California — From  amounts  received  from  sales  of  real 

estate,  etc $83,235  00 

Building    Fund — From  amounts  received  for    construction    of 

buildings 357,396  37 

440,631  37 

Amounts  of  income  received  from  the  State  to  pay  current  expenses 662,150  42 


Total  cash  receipts  from  all  sources $1,821,675  65 


APPENDIX  "B.3 


SEGREGATION  OF  CASH  DISBURSEMENTS  AND  INVESTMENTS. 


INVESTMENTS. 


United  States  Endowment  Fund— Investment  of  proceeds  from 

sales  of  the  agricultural  grant  of  150,000  acres,  in  bonds  of  the 

par  value  of  $348,000,  at  a  cost  of $346,934  50 

Seminary  Land  Investment  Fund — Investment  of  proceeds  from 

sales  of  the  seminary  grant  of  seventy-two  sections,  in  bonds 

of  the  par  value  of  $19,000,  at  a  cost  of 19,380  00 

Brayton  Real  Estate  Fund — Investment  from  proceeds  of  the 

sale  of  Oakland  property  (so-called  Brayton  property),  in  bonds 

of  the  par  value  of  $19*500,  at  a  cost  of 20,140  00 

(NOTE. — The  Treasurer  of  the  University  now  holds  mortgage 

notes  received  in  part  payment  from  sales  of  above  property, 

amounting  to  $68,530,  bearing  interest  at  the  rate  of  eight  (8) 

per  cent,  per  annum,  payable  quarterly.     As  the  notes  are  paid, 

investments  are  made  in  bonds  for  account  of  said  fund.) 
Bills  Receivable — Investment  of  proceeds  belonging  to  the  grant 

of  150,000  acres 12,895  10 

(NOTE.— This  amount  of  $12,895  10  was  credited  to  the  Land  Fund, 

forming  a  part  of  the  statement  of  cash  receipts,  and  is  here 

represented  by  a  joint  note  due  January  1st,  1879,  bearing  ten 

per  cent,  per  annum  interest.) 
Building  Fund — Cost  of  College  buildings  known  as  North  and 

South   Hall,  formerly  known  as  College  of  Agriculture  and 

College  of  Letters 357,396  37 

Students'  Cottages — Cost  of  eight  cottages  built  for  occupation  of 

students 26,905  00 

University  Site  Improvements — Cost  of  ornamental  and  useful 

trees,  fencing,  and  grading  the  grounds 32,672  80 

University  Water  Company — Cost  of  construction  of  water  ditch, 

reservoirs,  iron  pipe,  etc 5,967  50 

College  of  California — Cost  of  lands,  expenses  of  surveys,  legal 

services,  etc 80,682  52 

Apparatus 22,235  83 

Library __  18,399  89 

Brayton  Property — Cost  of  three  blocks  in  Oakland  and  buildings 

thereon 88,787  28 

Museum 2,398  21 

University  printing  office 2,614  04 

Mechanical  Arts  College — advance 69  35 

Total  cash  investments $1,031,478  39 

TRUST   FUNDS. 

Excess  Payments — Amounts  paid  the  United  States $15,432  59 

State  Geological  Survey — Amounts  paid  for  account  of 3,559  23 

18,991  82 
Amounts  disbursed  for  payment  of  current  expenses  of  the  University 705,746  00 

Total  cash  disbursements  and  investments $1,756,216  21 


The  following  statements  of  accounts,  which  are  made  up  of  dona- 
tions, cash  received  from  excess  payments,  and  bank  certificates  of 
deposit,  do  not  properly  belong  to  the  exhibits  of  cash  receipts  and 
expenditures,  and  are  deposited  with  the  following  savings  banks: 

UNION  SAVINGS  BANK,  OF  OAKLAND,  CALIFORNIA. 


DEBITS. 

To  deposit  of  rents  and  interest  thereon — Agassiz  Professorship — from  March  13th, 

1873,  to  June  30th,  1878 $832  73 

To  deposit  of  donations  (account  of  Medal  Fund),  and  interest  thereon  from  March 

13th,  1873,  to  June  30th,  1878 3,486  62 

To  deposit  of  donation  by  H.  D.  Bacon,  of  $500,  for  an  Engineering  Fund,  and 

interest  thereon 714  33 

To  deposit  account  of  excess  payment,  made  June  30th,  1877 $6,000  00 

To  interest  thereon 255  00 

6,255  00 

To  deposits  of  certificates  of  deposit,  issued  by  the  Bank  of  California,  (said  cer- 
tificates representing  the  preliminary  deposits  made  by  applicants  for  lands): 

Deposited  February  24th,  1877 $12,039  33 

And  interest  thereon  to  January  1st,  1878_ 885  60 

12,924  93 

Total  debits $24,213  61 

CREDITS. 

By  amounts  paid  for  medals  (account  of  Medal  Fund) $750  00 

By  amounts  paid  for  apparatus  ordered  by  Professor  of  Civil  Engineer- 
ing, on  account  of  Engineering  Fund 528  38 

By  amount  transferred  to  Treasurer  of  University  of  certificate  of 
deposit 1,000  00 

Total  credit 2,278  38 

Balance  due  University $21,935  23 

HIBERNIA  SAVINGS  AND  LOAN  SOCIETY,  SAN  FRANCISCO. 

DEBITS. 

To  deposit  of  excess  payments,  made  October  12th,  1877 ' $5,000  00 

To  interest  on  same,  to  January  1st,  1878 93  75 

$5,093  75 

SECURITY  SAVINGS  BANK,  SAN  FRANCISCO. 

To  deposit  of  excess  payments,  made  from  June  30th,  1877,  to  January  31st,  1878—     $28,162  50 
To  interest  on  same,  to  January  1st,  1878 448  00 

$28,610  50 

SAN  FRANCISCO  SAVINGS  UNION,  OF  SAN  FRANCISCO. 

To  deposit  of  certificate  of  deposit,  issued  by  Bank  of  California,  made  February 

23d,  1877 $12,212  62 

To  deposit  of  certificate  of  deposit  by  Bank  of  California,  made  June  25th,  1878__         3,250  00 

To  interest  to  June  30th,  1877 $286  27 

To  interest  to  January  1st,  1878 506  17 

792  44 

$16,255  06 


THE  OAKLAND  BANK  OF  SAVINGS,  OAKLAND,  CALIFORNIA. 


To  deposit  of  excess  payments,  made  October  12th,  1877. 
To  interest  to  January  1st,  1878 


$5,000  00 
70  83 


$5,070  83 


RECAPITULATION. 


Deposit  with  savings  banks,  for  account  of  Agassiz  Professorship $832  73 

Deposit  with  savings  banks,  for  account  of  Medal  Fund 2,736  62 

Deposit  with  savings  banks,  for  account  of  Civil  Engineering  Department 185  95 

Deposit  with  savings  banks,  for  account  of  excess  payments 44,162  50 

Deposit  with  savings  banks,  for  account  of  excess  payments,  interest 867  58 

Deposit  with  savings  banks,  for  account  of  certificates  of  deposit 26,501  95 

Deposit  with  savings  banks,  for  account  of  certificates  of  deposit,  interest  on  same.  1,678  04 

Total  amount  deposited  with  savings  banks,  to  June  30th,  1878_ $76,965  37 


CIVIL  ENGINEERING  DEPARTMENT. 


November  13th,  1876 — To  deposit  of  donation  from  H.  D.  Bacon. 

To  interest  from  April  26th,  1873,  to  July  1st,  1876 

To  interest  from  July  1st,  1876,  to  January  1st,  1878 


November  13th,  1876 — By  amount  paid  for  apparatus $363  99 

February  20th,  1877 — By  amount  paid  for  apparatus 104  64 

February  20th,  1877— By  amount  paid  for  freight __          59  75 


Balance  due  June  30th,  1878. 


$500  00 

169  22 

45  11 


$714  33 


528  38 


$185  95 


Dr. 


THE    UNIVERSITY    MEDAL    FUND. 
Deposited  with  the  Union  Savings  Bank,  Oakland,  California. 


Cr. 


1874. 
July  30  

To    cash    for    medal 
(Frank  Otis)  

$125  00 

1873. 
March  13  __ 
June  30 

By  donations  
By  interest 

$2,383  68 
56  05 

October  10 

To    cash    for    medal 

Dec  31 

By  interest 

121  48 

October  10 

(J.  M.Whitworth)  — 
To    cash    for    medal 

125  00 

1874. 
June  30 

By  interest 

126  99 

1875. 

(F.  H.  Whitworth)_ 

125  00 

Dec.  31  . 

By  interest 

115  79 

July  16  
1876. 

To    cash    for    medal 
(T.  F.  Barry)  

125  00 

1875. 
June  30 

By  interest 

114  41 

Nov.  30  

To   cash    for   medals 

Dec.  31  __ 

By  interest 

114  86 

(D.B.  Himtley)  
(F.  L.  Button)  

125  00 
125  00 

1876. 
June  30 

By  interest 

119  37 

1  877 

1878. 

$750  00 

Jan.  31 

By  interest 

115  13 

June  30  

To  balance  

2,736  62 

July  30 

By  interest 

112  40 

1878. 
Jan.  31  

By  interest  

106  46 

$3,486  62 

June  30  

By  balance  

$3,486  62 
$2,736  62 

2t 


10 


Dr. 


THE   AGASSIZ   PROFESSORSHIP   FUND. 
Deposited  with  the  Union  Savings  Bank,  Oakland,  California. 


Cr, 


1876. 
June  30 

To  balance 

$485  56 

1873. 
March  13 

By  cash  from  rent 

$100  00 

June  30_ 

By  interest 

2  35 

Dec.  31   

By  interest    

5  04 

1874. 
June  30  

By  interest   

6  08 

August  19__ 
Nov.  14  
Dec.  31 

By  cash  from  rent- 
By  cash  from  rent. 
By  interest 

100  00 
100  00 
9  27 

1875. 
June  30  

By  interest  

15  22 

Dec.  11  _ 

By  cash  from  rent 

125  00 

1876. 
June  30 

By  interest 

22  60 

1877 

June  30  

To  balance  

$485  56 

$485  56 

$679  09 

1876. 
June  30  

By  balance  

$485  56 

• 

Dec.  18 

By  rent 

125  00 

1877. 
June  30 

By  interest 

68  53 

1877 

$679  09 

$679  09 

June  30_  

By  balance   

$679  09 

1878 

Jan.  31  

By  interest 

28  64 

March  31  __ 

By  cash  from  rent. 

125  00 

June  30  ._  _ 

$832  73 

1878. 
June  30 

To  balance 

$832  73 

June  30 

By  balance 

$832  73 

RECAPITULATION. 

Total  receipts $1,821,675  65 

Total  disbursements  and  investments 1,756,216  21 


Excess  of  receipts  over  disbursements  and  investments $65,459  44 

CASH    STATEMENT. 

By  cash  balance  with  Treasurer,  D.  0.  Mills,  June  3d,  1878 $21,296  94 

By  cash  deposit  with  savings  bank,  account  of  excess  payments,  June  3d,  1878___  44,162  50 


Total __ $65,459  44 

JOHN  LECONTE, 

President  of  the  University  of  California. 

ROBT.  E.  C.  STEARNS, 
Secretary  of  the  Board  of  Regents,  University  of  California. 


11 


[The  following  statement  from  the  President,  Jno.  LeConte,  and  letter  of  Professor  E.  W. 
Hilgard,  are,  by  order  of  the  Constitutional  Convention,  appended  to  this  report.] 

WHAT  HAVE  THE  REGENTS  OF  THE  UNIVERSITY  TO  SHOW 
FOR  THEIR  EXPENDITURE? 


1.  They  have  secured  a  corps  of  professors  and  instructors  of  abil- 
ity  and  reputation,  and  established  a  curriculum  of  studies  which, 
for  its  range  and  variety,  bears  comparison  with  the  oldest  and  best 
endowed  institutions  in  the  Eastern  States. 

2.  They  have,  in  the  course  of  nine  years,  succeeded  in  establishing 
an   institution  of  high   grade,  which  already  assumes  an  acknowl- 
edged rank  among  the  Universities  of  our  country — in  which  instruc- 
tion is  imparted  in  all  branches  of  culture  and  useful  knowledge, 
free  to  all  residents  of  California,  both  male  and  female.     No  money 
consideration  can  represent  the  value  of  such  an. institution  to  the 
State. 

3.  The  amount  expended  for  instruction  in  its  various  forms,  for 
free  scholarships,  and  for  support  (during  a  short  period)  of  a  Pre- 
paratory Department,  has  of  course  gone  beyond  recall.     For  this 
they  have  nothing  tangible  to  show.     It  is  represented  by  the  knowl- 
edge imparted  to  hundreds  of   the  youth   of  our  State.     It  will 
assuredly  bear  its  fruits  in  time,  in  the  form  of  wise  statesmen  and 
legislators,  accomplished  scholars,  original  thinkers  and  investiga- 
tors, able  jurists,  public  benefactors,  and  virtuous  citizens.     Dollars 
and  cents  can  not  represent  the  value  of  these  contributions  to  mod- 
ern civilization. 

4.  But,  aside  from  the  intangible  blessings  conferred  by  the  Uni- 
versity, the  .Regent's  have  properties  of  great  value  to  show  for  the 
money  expended.    The  State  now  owns : 

(1.)  Two  hundred  acres  of  land  at  Berkeley,  with  cost  of  ornamenting,  grading,  and 

improving  site — valued  at $250,000 

(2.)  Three  first-class  buildings  at  Berkeley,  with  the  furniture  of  the  same 397,000 

(3.)  A  museum,  embracing  extensive  collections  of  geological,  mineralogical,  botani- 
cal, and  ethnological  specimens ;  also,  works  of  art,  etc. — mostly  private  dona- 
tions    50,000 

(4.)  A  library,  containing  over  14,000  volumes — expended  by  Regents 18,000 

Private  donations  (estimated  value) 17,000 

(5.)  Collections  of  apparatus,  physical,  chemical,  and  other  aids  to  instruction 25,000 

(6.)  Eight  (8)  cottages  for  students '_ 24,000 

(7.)  Gymnasium  building — recently  the  gift  of  Mr.  A.  K.  P.  Harmon 7,000 

(3.)  Printing  office  property 2,500 

Printing  press — gift  of  Dr.  Samuel  Merritt 1,500 

(9.)  Propagating  houses,  barn,  farm  implements,  and  orchard  containing  over  five 

hundred  varieties ;  also,  many  varieties  of  grapes,  etc •      4,800 

(10.)  Forty-seven  acres  of  land  near  Oakland — a  gift  from  the  late  Edward  Tomp- 

kins — present  value 40,000 

(11.)  Toland  Medical  Hall  in  San  Francisco— a  gift  from  Dr.  H.  H.  Toland 75,000 

(12.)  Medal  Fund— a  gift  from  friends  of  the  University 2,600 

(13.)  Brayton  property — mortgaged  notes 68,530 

Brayton  property — investment  in  bonds 20,140 

(14.)  Seminary  Land  Fund— invested  by  Regents  in  six  per  cent,  bonds— cost 19,380 

$1,022,450 

JOHN  LECONTE, 

President  of  -University  of  California. 


12 


UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA,  COLLEGE  OF  AGRICULTURE,  j 
BERKELEY,  November  18th,  1878.     j 
Honorable  J.  R.  Freud: 

DEAR  SIR  :  Your  favor  of  sixteenth  came  duly  to  hand.  As  it 
would  be  difficult,  and  on  account  of  the  state  of  my  eyes  almost 
impossible,  for  me  to  make  out,  at  short  notice,  as  full  a  statement  as 
would  be  desirable  in  respect  to  the  matters  you  allude  to,  I  mail  to 
you  with  this  such  printed  matter  as  I  have  published,  bearing  on 
the  questions  in  hand.  My  Walnut  Creek  lecture,  and  the  first  fifteen 
pages  of  my  report  to  the  President,  contain  the  gist  of  the  whole 
matter,  so  far  as  my  views  on  the  past,  present,  and  future  of  the 
Agricultural  Department  are  concerned;  and  I  have  only  to  add  that, 
with  the  aid  of  the  appropriation  made  by  the  last  Legislature,  these 
views  are  now  being  carried  out  as  rapidly  as  possible,  in  accordance 
with  a  printed,  but  not  as  yet  published,  programme,  of  which,  unfor- 
tunately, I  have  no  copy  "to  send  you,  but  which  is  in  the  hands  of 
both  Mr.  Martin  and  Mr.  Winans.  This  programme  includes : 

1.  Courses  of  lectures  on  "  special  cultures,"  in  accordance  with  the 
circular  herewith  inclosed.    This  is  given  regularly  by  Mr.  C.  H. 
Dwinelle,  and  by  other  lecturers  specially  competent  in  particular 
subjects,  as  these  can  be  obtained.    Among  the  latter,  a  clinical  lec- 
ture on  "glanders"  was,  last  week,  delivered  by  Dr.  A.  De  Tavel,,  of 
San  Francisco,  to  a  large  audience.    Mr.  Dwinelle's  lectures  are  regu- 
larly attended  by  four  students,  and  almost  always  by  from  two  to 
six  persons  not  regular  students  in  the  agricultural  course,  of  which 
this  is  the  "  senior  "  year. 

2.  A  garden  of  economic  botany.    This  is  now  being  laid  out  and 
occupied,  on  the  level  tract  next  the  entrance  from  the  railroad  depot. 
It  will  embrace,  as  fully  as  possible,  all  the  economically  useful  plants 
capable  of  outdoor  culture  in  this  climate.    At  the  same  time,  cul- 
ture experiments  on  a  larger  scale  are  being  carried  out  on  the  grounds 
north  of  the  branch  of  Strawberry  Creek ;   and,  for  the  culture  of 
plants  requiring  heat,  an  addition  is  being  made  to  the  propagating 
houses  already  occupied.    A  large  number  of  seeds  of  important  for- 
est trees  have  lately  been  put  into  the  ground,  to  be  later  transplanted 
to  suitable  positions  in  the  University  domain,  which  will  ultimately 
(if  my  plans  are  carried  out)  be  to  the  agricultural  student  what  the 
cabinet  of  minerals  and  laboratory  are  to  the  mining  student. 

3.  Increased  and  improved  means  of  demonstration  in  instruction 
in  the  several  practical  courses,  in  the  way  of  collections,  illustra- 
tions, implements,  etc. 

4.  The  continuation,  to  the  extent  rendered  possible  by  our  means, 
of  the  work  of  an  agricultural  survey,  as  explained  in  my  report  to 
the  President,  page  eleven  and  following  ones,  and  exemplified  in 
the  Appendix,  pages  twenty  to  sixty-three.    A  number  of  important 
matters  have  been  under  examination  since  the  date  of  this  report, 
and  will  be  published  before  long.    At  the  moment,  the  work  has 
received  a  check  in  the  resignation  of  my  assistant,  who   can  be 
replaced  only  by  training  up  another  graduate  in  his  stead.     For  this 
purpose,  I  have  selected  Mr.  F.  W.  Morse,  of  the  class  of  eighteen 
hundred  and  seventy-eight. 

I  consider  the  prosecution  of  this  work  as  the  key  to  the  situation, 
as  it  is  the  most  direct  means  of  proving  to  farmers  how  great  are  the 


13 

benefits  to  be  derived  by  their  sons  from  the  study  of  the  scientific 
principles  underlying  agriculture.  I  cannot  but  ascribe  largely  to 
the  published  and  unpublished  results  of  this  work,  the  gratifying 
increase  of  students  in  the  strictly  agricultural  course,  and  the 
increased  attendance  of  others  upon  the  lectures  of  the  department, 
so  far  from  the  "  single  student"  of  current  report  (which  doubtless 
originated  in  the  statement  that  there  was  but  one  student  in  the 
senior  class  this  session),  the  facts  now  are  as  follows : 

Regularly  attending  senior  course  of  special  cultures 4 

Regularly  attending  junior  course  of  agricultural  chemistry 6 

Electing  the  course  of  economic  botany,  second  term,  sophomore 12 

Total  in  agricultural  course  proper,  by  January  1st,  1879 22 

Deduct  as  twice  mentioned ^ 4 

Total  attending  regularly 18 

It  should  be  remembered  that,  moreover,  the  entire  scientific  divis- 
ion of  the  sophomore  class  (from  forty-five  to  fifty  students)  attend 
regularly  the  first  term  of  my  course,  to  wit,  general  botany,  which 
begins  the  agricultural  course.  After  the  first  term  they  elect  their 
college,  as  above  stated. 

When  you  remember  that  years  ago  not  a  single  student  elected  the 
agricultural  course  at  this  time  of  the  year,  the  change  that  has 
occurred  cannot  but  be  gratifying.  The  course  has  become  accepta- 
ble and  respectable,  in  the  eyes  of  the  students  and  their  parents,  in 
proportion  to  its  increased  thoroughness  and  educational  value. 
And  I  have  no  fears  as  regards  its  future  increase  of  patronage  and 
usefulness,  if  the  policy  that  has  effected  this  change  is  continued. 
Let  me  add,  that  I  consider  the  number  of  students  now  in  attend- 
ance here,  on  this  course,  as  a  fair  index  of  the  interest  now  taken  by 
the  farming  population  in  the  professional  education  of  their  sons  as 
farmers.  If  the  means  and  appliances  for  such  education  here  are 
not,  at  this  time,  all  that  could  be  desired,  whatever  is  offered  is 
indispensable,  and  what  is  lacking  can  in  a  great  degree  be  made  up 
by  practice  on  any  well-conducted  farm.  For  mere  drill  in  farm  ope- 
rations no  sensible  man  will  send  his  son  to  college ;  and  business 
management  of  a  farm  will  never  be  learned  under  the  artificial 
conditions  of  a  College  Farm.  I  am  unable  to  see  why,  of  all  pro- 
fessional schools,  the  Agricultural  College  should  be  saddled  with 
the  task  of  converting  young  men  to  farming,  by  keeping  them 
surrounded  with  what  some  are  pleased  to  term  an  "agricultural 
atmosphere."  It  is  the  unintelligent  drudgery  of  ordinary  farm  life 
•that  our  boys  run  away  from  ;  and  it  is  only  by  rendering  them 
intelligent  laborers,  and  not  by  rubbing  in  the  drudgery,  that  their 
aversion  to  farm  life  (for  which  certainly  the  colleges  are  not  respon- 
sible) can  be  overcome.  Whenever  farming  comes  to  be  a  learned 
profession  amongst  us,  and  to  be  considered  as  such,  young  men  will 
not  need  to  be  surrounded  by  a  dense  "  agricultural  atmosphere  "  in 
order  to  keep  them  to  their  profession.  And  then,  the  many  farmers 
who  now  send  their  sons  to  all  but  the  agricultural  course  at  the 
University,  will  cease  to  tell  their  sons  that  they  "  can  teach  them 
all  the  farming  they  need  at  home."  I  am  hopeful  that  this  day  is 
coming  sooner  in  California  than  elsewhere,  for  natural  reasons;  but 
its  coming  will  not  be  hastened  by  removing  our  future  farmers  from 


14 

contact  with  the  rest  of  the  rising  and  cultured  youth  of  the  State; 
and  if  Mr.  Merrill's  own  statement  is  to  be  believed,  that  was  assur- 
edly not  the  object  of  the  "  Morrill  grant." 

In  conclusion,  allow  me  to  suggest,  that  the  first  thing  needful  for 
rendering  the  aid  of  science  accessible  to  the  rural  population  is,  that 
the  rudiments  at  least  of  natural  science  should  be  effectually,  and 
not  only  nominally,  taught  in  the  common  schools.  The  reason  why 
this  is  not  now  done  is  simply  that  there  are  too  few  teachers  com- 
petent to  give  such  instruction,  and  if  the  University  does  no  more 
than  supply  these  teachers  ^  it  will  have  done  the  greatest  possible 
service  to  the  cause  of  agriculture.  Then,  indeed,  "  farm  schools  " 
scattered  over  the  country  could  do  real  service,  because  they  would 
have  suitable  material  to  work  upon.  But  so  long  as  there  are  no 
teachers,  nfl  law  or  constitutional  provision  can  create  efficient 
schools. 

If  there  is  any  farther  information  that  I  can  furnish  you,  please 
let  me  know,  and  I  will  do  so  as  rapidly  as  possible. 
Very  respectfully  yours, 

EUG.  W.  HILGARD. 


PORT  OF  COMMISSION 


TO 


EXAMINE  INTO  AND  REPORT 


OF  CERTAIN  FUNDS, 


RELATION  TO   TOE  STATE  UNIVERSITY. 


SACRAMENTO: 

STATE  OFFICE  I  I  '  F.  P.  THOMPSON,  SUPT.  STATE  PRINTING. 

1879. 


NON-CIRCULATING  BOOK 


53343" 


UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA  LIBRARY 


